This invention relates generally to receptacles and containers for recyclable waste paper, and particularly to a caddy folded from a blank of corrugated polyethylene for hanging attachment on the outside rim of a conventional wastebasket or the two-bag tote container disclosed herein.
Receptacles for waste materials and for filing papers are known to the art, particularly those fabricated from blanks of corrugated cardboard or fiberboard and folded to an upright configuration. These receptacles or files include generally rectangular cartons or containers having front and rear walls in which the top edge of the rear wall is higher than the top edge of the front wall, with side walls inclined having inclined or angled top edges connecting the top edges of the front and rear walls. Various versions of these containers, files, and display boxes may also have dual-compartments and be fabricated from a single blank, each compartment having the same angled top openings Representative examples of these structures are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 36,200 to Woods; 1,770,618 to Lambert; 1,821,960 to Brooks; 3,172,530 to Grabosky; 3,208,583 to Kamps; and 4,736,837 to Brainard.
Also known are conventional wastebaskets and trash receptacles of many types, particularly those used in office and home settings. The wastebaskets are generally constructed from plastic, metal, or hard rubber, and are usually shaped as inverted truncated cones or tapered rectangles. Representative examples of common wastebaskets are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,300,082 to Patterson; 3,451,453 to Heck; 3,481,112 to Bourgeois; 3,760,975 to Nilsson; 3,800,503 to Maki; 4,319,694 to Nehrbass; 4,798,363 to Cortesi; 4,850,507 to Lemongelli; and 4,869,391 to Farrington.
Of particular interest, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,490 to Lang discloses a rectangular refuse receptacle which may be attached to the wheeled rail structure containing a standard bucket. The refuse receptacle is hung on a bracket to be disposed near the rim of the bucket, and is used for the disposal of surgical sponges and similar instruments in an operating room.
It is also known to utilize a single-compartment carton having an angled top for the collection of papers to be recycled, with the container being positioned on the floor or a desktop near a conventional wastebasket or trash receptacle. One such carton is manufactured by the Waldorf Paper Co. of St. Paul, Minn., and is folded to a generally upright configuration from a planar prescored blank of corrugated cardboard. The Waldorf Paper Co. container is constructed from a generally rectangular blank having angled or cropped corners, thereby presenting a somewhat elongated octagonal shape.
The Waldorf Paper Co. single-compartment carton described above does present several disadvantages when used for recycling. First, since it must rest on a generally flat surface in order to maximize stability, it is usually placed on a desk or shelf near the user, or on the floor near a waste receptacle. If placed on a desk or shelf, it often takes up valuable work or storage space more conveniently used for other purposes. If placed on the floor, it can be inadvertently kicked or knocked over, and may be placed in a location where it is difficult to reach or see, and therefore infrequently used or not emptied. Since the carton is movable and may be placed in different locations by different workers, the person collecting the waste materials a part of the normal waste disposal or recycling program must look in different locations for the carton, or it may be missed during normal collections, thereby necessitating that the worker empty the contents the following day or resulting in the recyclable materials not being properly collected. The single rear wall construction of the carton makes it prone to being crushed or ripped during extended use, and the method of folding and fastening the carton in an upright configuration allows the carton to become fastened when overloaded or lifted improperly. The exposed bottom edges of the outer side walls of this carton can snag on carpeting if the carton is slid along the floor, such as when being moved by the foot of a worker, and the side panels will then become unfastened. If placed proximate to a waste receptacle, the carton can be damaged or degraded by other waste products, particularly food or liquid which may be spilled into the carton, and the carton cannot be cleaned. The single rear panel also presents a sharp corrugated top edge, which can cut a person attempting to grasp or lift the carton, particularly when filled with papers.